PERKINSTON - A walk-off grand slam in Game 1 and a three-run rally in the sixth inning of the nightcap provided Mississippi Gulf Coast with two comebacks and two gut-wrenching losses for Northwest on the road Saturday.

Northwest finished with a combined 21 base hits in the sweep, but fell to 22-23 on the season and slipped to 10-14 in the MACCC. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs jumped the Rangers in the conference standings, moving to 18-24 overall and 11-13 in the MACCC.

Northwest will now close out the regular season at home, first taking on Itawamba on Tuesday, April 25 at 3/6 P.M. and Pearl River on Friday, April 28 at 1/4 P.M. All remaining games will be carried on Ranger TV, with live stats available here.


Game 1 - Mississippi Gulf Coast 8, Northwest 6

With two outs and the Bulldogs down to its final strike, leadoff batter Marc Stephens delivered a grand slam into left field, stunning Northwest with an 8-6 loss.

Cade Leatherwood helped give the Rangers the 1-0 lead in the top of the first, grounding into a double play that allowed Jacob Hill to score from third. The Bulldogs tied it up in the fourth on a passed ball, only for Northwest to regain the 2-1 advantage on Cy Craig's fielder's choice in the sixth.

Mississippi Gulf Coast pulled ahead with a three-run frame in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by a fielder's choice. a double to left from Ty Mancha and a Kade Carpenter sacrifice fly. The 4-2 deficit wouldn't last for long though, as the Rangers jumped back ahead 6-4 in the top of the ninth, thanks to a two-run double from Cade Greer and a Thomas Cheatham RBI-single.

Northwest sent the first two Bulldog batters down quickly in the bottom of the ninth, but a hit-by-pitch, a walk and a single up the middle loaded the bases, setting up the game-winning grand slam.

Brayden Sanders (1-3) was handed the loss for the Rangers, but starter Logan Eldridge went eight innings with six strikeouts against three walks and three earned runs. Northwest also out-hit Mississippi Gulf Coast 12-5, led by Greer's 4-for-5 effort at the plate and two base hits apiece from Hill and Peyton Martin.

Kannon Varnado led the Bulldogs with two of the team's five base hits. 


Game 2 - Mississippi Gulf Coast 8, Northwest 7

Northwest took a 7-3 lead in the top of the fourth inning, only to watch it evaporate with a five-run rally from Mississippi Gulf Coast in the 8-7 loss.

Trailing 1-0 entering the top of the second, Jacob Hill blasted a three-run homer to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead. The Bulldogs tied it up in the third, only for Northwest to score four in the fourth off base hits from Leatherwood, Hayes Davis and Dawson Griffin.

Mississippi Gulf Coast cut the lead down to 7-5 in the bottom of the fourth, as the Rangers gave up a double and an RBI-single. The Bulldogs would then score the winning runs off a three-run blast from Carpenter in the bottom of the sixth.

Zach Beasley took the loss for Northwest after pitching the sixth inning, while starter Brooks Rice lasted five full innings, striking out three against four walks and four earned runs. Tyler Gunter was handed the win for the Bulldogs, with two strikeouts in two relief innings.

Mississippi Gulf Coast out-hit the Rangers 11-9, with Leatherwood and Matthew Roncalli leading the team with two base hits. Hayes Davis also finished with a double and an RBI. Read Full Article